Yearly Archive for 2011

: 2011

The following is an edited version of KNBR’s Damon Bruce in conversation with 49ers rookie linebacker Aldon Smith.

Q: What is Jim Harbaugh like? What is one thing that stands out most in the guy?

A: His competitiveness and love for the game. His will to win.

Q: What do you think right now is the best part of your game, the strongest aspect of what you’re doing? What is the one thing you and your coaches are working on improving as fast as possible?

A: The thing I am doing pretty good at this time is rushing the passer and the thing I have to work on, dropping back into coverage.

Q: Is it a specific read coming off the line of scrimmage? Or do you get assigned to the tight end right off the rip? How exactly does that work, the difference between plays when you’re rushing and plays when you’re dropping back? How do you go about moving in space to be in the right place to drop back?

A: You might have a tight end you’re guarding, a running back, a wide receiver. You’ve got three different types of athletes out there that you might be guarding. You have to predicate your drop-off to who you’re guarding and what your assignment is.

Q: How do you get around Joe Thomas? Is that an over, under, around or through situation?

A: Joe Thomas is a great tackle. He has done a tremendous job in Cleveland. You just have to be able to work a variety of moves and keep getting pressure on him.

Q: What do you think about Missouri maybe going to the SEC?

A: That would be crazy. Everything has gotten shaken up with everyone switching around. They can (win) wherever they go.

Q: Ricky Jean Francois, your teammate (who played at LSU), was talking about if Andrew Luck played in the SEC, it would not happen. He’s thinking Missouri wouldn’t fare well in the SEC either. Have you talked to him about that?

A: We have had our conversations about the SEC versus the Big 12, but we played an SEC team and we beat them when I was at Missouri so I am not listening to Ricky on that.

Q: How nice is it to have one of your alma mater’s greatest players as one of your teammates right now in Justin Smith?

A: It’s tremendous, a great player beside me and it’s even better that he went to Missouri and we have that connection.

Q: Did you think you guys had it to be 5-1? Are you willing to admit that you guys are a little ahead of schedule?

A: I did – I mean, we work hard and we do a lot of things a lot of people don’t know about. We don’t go out thinking we’re going to lose. We plan to win. We practice hard and the result is that we are winning games.

Q: You say you do a lot of things people don’t know about; tell us one of those things.

A: I can’t tell you. We do the small things. I feel like we are a family here. Everybody is bonding; we work well together and mesh well on the field. Offense does their thing, special teams does their thing, defense does their thing, and we are able to put together good games.

Q: What is calming down and relaxing for you? A night on the couch watching a little tube or going out with the fellas?

A: A night on the couch looking out at the city.

The KNBR Conversation is a weekly Q&A culled from interviews conducted on KNBR 680/1050 AM.

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